The Worship of the Generative Powers

Thomas Wright's The Worship of the Generative Powers During the Middle Ages of Western Europe is a work of broad scope, and goes beyond its title to embrace the study of certain abnormal practices incidental to membership in secret orders and societies, including the worship of the female as well as the male generative powers. Of all the rites which belonged to ancient polytheism, none were more furiously inveighed against by the zealous propagators of the Christian faith than the obscene ceremonies performed in the worship of Priapus, the god of procreation. Even the form itself, under which the god was represented, appeared to them a mockery of all piety and devotion.